This invention relates to an ostomy bag coupling for allowing coupling and uncoupling of an ostomy bag from the user's body.
A typical form of ostomy bag coupling comprises a body side coupling which is fixed to the body of the user by a medical adhesive, and a bag side coupling which is attached to a bag. The bag side coupling is releasably attached to the body side coupling, so that a bag may be replaced simply, without requiring removal of the body side coupling from the body. It will be appreciated that it is important to ensure the accidental uncoupling during use is minimized to maximize the confidence of the user.
In U.K. Patent No. 1,579,875, there is disclosed an ostomy bag coupling in which the body side coupling and the bag side coupling can be locked together to prevent accidental separation. In this arrangement, the bag side coupling has a coupling part of continuous channel section which effectively braces the coupling against the flexing movements to which it will be subjected to in use. This means that the user will experience discomfort as the body side coupling will tend to resist any flexing movement of the area of the body to which the coupling is attached. Also, the increased stiffness will mean that the coupling may not naturally conform to the local area of the user's body and thus attachment of the body side coupling to the body may require special care. Furthermore, the coupling of U.K. Patent No. 1,579,875, projects a significant distance when attached to the user's body, so that the coupling may be visible when the user is wearing light clothing.